1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to the field of vacuum pumps. Specifically, the invention relates to a chip scale vacuum pump comprising piezoelectric pumping and valving functions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generation of vacuum environments and the sealing of vacuumed devices during fabrication and production are common techniques and in most cases, the size and power consumption of the vacuum pumps used for these operations are not relevant as they are not a part of the end item in which the vacuum aspect in utilized. Nonetheless, there exist certain processes that require a vacuum environment be achieved during device operation in the field and away from large production-line vacuum pumps. These processes, for instance may involve the sampling of matter (e.g., gases, chemicals, etc.) in the field and require reaching a vacuum environment in a small portable system.
There exists numerous vacuum pump technologies but these prior art devices are not easily scalable or well-suited to chip scale size (i.e., microelectronic integrated circuit scale) and in particular, not well-suited when relatively high vacuum levels are needed. The unavailability of chip scale size vacuum pumps poses a significant obstacle in achieving small, portable diagnostic/analysis systems that require vacuum environments for operation.
What is needed is a small vacuum pump that comprises a close-to-zero leakage sealing feature and that has an effective vacuum capability, high flow rate, low power and that has the ability to be mounted in a chip scale package format such as an integrated circuit chip on a substrate.
The disclosed invention provides for a chip scale vacuum pump to address the above prior art deficiencies and the lack of small, hand-held, low-power, fieldable diagnostic and analysis systems or other applications requiring small, portable vacuum environments.